


You Do

by BadWigBrando



Category: Naruto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-01-20
Packaged: 2019-10-13 03:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17479949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BadWigBrando/pseuds/BadWigBrando
Summary: Temari is self-conscious about her sibling relationship to Gaara.





	You Do

**Author's Note:**

> this is a (very later) secret santa gift for sagemoderocklee on tumblr! secret SANDa hosted by heartofthesand.tumblr.com

How many times has Temari sat in this chair, hunched over a table, with some compilation of words and paper before her? How many times has she looked through the doorway and watched after her brothers, her worry for their well being increasing the longer she stared?

_Too many years,_ she thought. _Too many years._

It felt like yesterday Gaara was such a giant and terrifying force in their lives. She would keep her eyes on Kankuro, scolding him constantly to watch how he communicated with Gaara. Her brother was so reckless, so casual about everything. It was scary. Sometimes, it still is. Now, it was just annoying.

Her brothers sat in the room next to her, conversing on the couch as they lounged and relaxed. This was their usual routine almost every day. Gaara would have a lunch break and come home to be with his siblings. Usually, he brought work with him and had all the best intentions to complete it.

And then Kankuro came in and all of that work suddenly flew out the window. Temari would inevitably pick up the stack and start working on it, trying to nudge Gaara to come and join her. “Come sit with your big sister,” she said. “We can work together and it’ll go by faster! It’ll be fun!”

Gaara’s face always lit up when she offered her assistance but never as much as when Kankuro grabbed him by his arm and pulled him back to the couch, continuing whatever tale he was telling. It was different each time.

Sometimes he talked about his most recent mission, or his travels, or his puppets (most of the time his puppets). It didn’t matter the subject, Kankuro had the charisma to talk for days about almost anything. And Gaara held just the right amount of admiration for his brother to listen to every word. He loved his big brother and Temari couldn’t be angry at that. For so many years, Temari shivered at the thought of Gaara’s hatred taking Kankuro away from her. It kept her up every night and glued her butt to the seat she was currently in, her eyes peering through this same doorway while her hands shook, hoping Gaara wasn’t in a bad mood.

Now that admiration that she was so happy to see development was bothering her the most. Perhaps the main issue was how one-sided it seemed. Gaara loved both of his siblings, she knew that but Kankuro seemed to move to be the center of his world. Anywhere Kankuro went, Gaara wanted to join. No matter what activity Kankuro was doing, Gaara was happy to sit and watch. And Kankuro was always Gaara’s main source of advice.

Gaara’s relationship with Temari? It wasn’t bad. They have also come a long way from where they were before and she was proud of that. But now she felt almost a ping of jealousy. Her brothers have formed a bond to the point where Gaara seemed attached to Kankuro by the hip. There was no question whose side Gaara would take in an argument, who Gaara would volunteer to tag along with, who Gaara dropped everything to have a conversation with.

“If only I had a sister…” she mumbled to herself, her eyes staring at the same paragraph she started reading an hour ago. Within ten minutes, she saw Kankuro stretch and push to his feet. Kankuro towered over his brother, his hands relaxed on his hips.

“Well, I’m gonna go. I’ll be back later for dinner.” Kankuro said.

Gaara stood up as well and Temari was half convinced he would leave with him. But instead, Gaara simply walked his brother to the door and closed it behind him. Temari put her face back in her book, finally thankful for the silence. Perhaps she could read more than the same five sentences now that her thoughts weren’t drowned out by her brothers’ conversation.

Temari sighed and relaxed into her chair to read but couldn’t find the mental clarity to focus on the words. She felt as if someone was watching her. She looked up and met eyes with Gaara. He stood next to the other chair at the table, a file of papers in his hand. He didn’t look hesitant but he did seem as if he’d been waiting to be noticed.

“Um, did you need something, Gaara?” Temari asked, flipping to the next page despite not reading a single word.

“I was hoping I could keep you company while I work. If that’s okay?” Gaara said. He didn’t budge until his sister gave him permission to sit. Even though they’ve all lived together for years now and the tension that lingered around their interactions was nonexistent, Gaara still chose to move with caution. Just to be on the safe side.

Temari only peered up from her book for a second before turning her gaze back down. “Second choices are okay,” she said, bitterness lacing her words.

Gaara looked confused. “Second choices?”

“Nevermind. Just sit down.” Temari waved it off, gesturing for Gaara to have a seat. “Let me know if you need any help,” she said.

Gaara hesitantly took a seat. He stared at his sister for a while. He knew something was wrong but she was clearly trying to dodge what it was. Regardless, Gaara began his work. He managed to get through half of his file within the next half hour. It would be time for him to retreat to his office again.

Closing his paperwork, he looked back to his sister. Her face was still buried into her book but Gaara could tell she wasn’t actually reading. In the past half hour, he didn’t hear a single flip of the page. And staring at her now, her eyes weren’t even scanning the words. She was just staring at the page, lost in thought.

That was all Gaara needed to know that something was deeply bothering his sister. “Temari,” he said.

Temari looked up then, her brow raised in silent question. “Yes?”

“Are you angry with me?” Gaara asked. He wasn’t afraid to hear a yes. He’d rather know the source of his sibling’s distress than pretend everything is okay. It’s how he chose to develop over the past few years, putting his siblings' feelings above his own.

Temari sighed, placing her book on the table. It confirmed what Gaara already knew, she hadn’t been reading at all.

“No, Gaara. I’m not angry at you. I’m just…not in the best mood today.” she said.

“Is your bad mood because of me?” Gaara didn’t skip a beat.

“Gaara.” Temari tried to stop him. “It’s not a big deal.”

“If it’s bothering you, I consider it a big deal. If I’m making you uncomfortable, please tell me, Temari.” Gaara continued.

“You’re not going to let me let this go, are you?” Temari said, leaning back in her chair already defeated.

“I can’t,” Gaara said.

Temari sighed. “Kankuro’s your favorite, isn’t he?”

There was a long pause. She looked up at Gaara, expecting to see him embarrassed and defensive. However, all she saw was confusion, as if she just spoke to him in another language.

“I don’t understand,” Gaara said. “I did not know that the formation of our bonds included favoritism. Is it necessary for me to choose?”

“You already have. I see the way you look at Kankuro as if he’s the most precious person in the world to you. How you’re eager to always be with him. I came to expect it, you are brothers after all. I just..” Temari looked down then, a sad aura encompassing her. “I hoped some of that admiration would have fallen to me as well. I am your big sister after all.”

Another long pause. This time Gaara wasn’t confused. He looked as if he was in deep thought but his eyes held a certainty in them that confused Temari.

“Kankuro is precious to me. He’s been a great supporter for me in the past few years and I trust him deeply. I know Kankuro will always take care of me when I need him.” Gaara said. “But that goes the same for you.”

Temari lit up. “Gaara..”

“I don’t have to choose a favorite, Temari. It would be impossible for me to do so anyway. You and Kankuro are the most precious people in the world to me. Although you both offer me different things, neither of you can be compared or replaced. Please know that I cherish you as my big sister.” Gaara bowed his head slightly to his sister.

Temari didn’t know what to say. She was moved, her eyes betraying her tough exterior by watering over. She didn’t expect Gaara to reassure her the way he did. She wasn’t even sure he would have been able to. Yet she was grateful for his words.

Wiping tears from her cheek, Temari gave her brother a smile. “Thank you, Gaara. I was being foolish thinking the way I did. I’m sorry.”

Gaara shook his head. “There’s no need to apologize. The road to our relationship is a tricky one. I don’t blame your misunderstanding. I will do better to show my true feelings to both you and Kankuro.”

Gaara stood up then, gathering his file. “I need to leave now but I will see you both tonight.”

Temari reached out to her brother as he passed, giving his free hand a light squeeze as he left the room. She picked up her book and attempted reading again.


End file.
